Founded by Max Farndale 1947 - 2018
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has signed an Agricultural Cooperation Arrangement with Argentina today, aimed at building closer relationships between the two countries.
The Arrangement was signed at the Central District Fieldays in Feilding today with Argentina’s Secretary of Agriculture, Ricardo Negri, during his three day visit to New Zealand.
“New Zealand and Argentina have a close relationship, particularly in agricultural sciences,” says Mr Guy.
“This new Arrangement creates a framework for greater cooperation between our two countries in the agricultural, livestock and agro-industrial sectors, including opportunities for technical exchanges, joint research, innovation and value addition.
“Two-way trade between Argentina and New Zealand is growing, particularly in primary sectors. The Arrangement will support strengthened economic relations between both countries with agriculture at the centre of this.”
As like-minded countries, Argentina and New Zealand are active participants in the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.
“Agriculture is critical to the economic wellbeing of our countries and we both benefit by working together to address the challenges of climate change. We are natural partners in developing practical, sustainable solutions for reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
“Our research institutions are already exploring opportunities for joint research into areas such as methane vaccines.
“New Zealand and Argentinean farmers have also worked together through an annual farmers study tour, organised by the Global Research Alliance and the World Farmers Organisation.
“Our countries are mindful that for research and development to be effective it will need to be readily picked up by farmers.
“Under the agreement there are also opportunities for us to collaborate on the development of new biosecurity tools to tackle pests and diseases of concern to both countries.”
| A Beehive release | March 16, 2017 ||
The Minister for Seniors Maggie Barry says changes to Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) forms will make them easier to understand and use.
“Knowing you can chose people you trust and who understand what you want, who will make important personal and financial decisions for you if you can’t, gives you peace of mind,” Ms Barry says.
“It should be set up when you are fit and healthy – mentally and physically.”
“The changes, which come into effect tomorrow, make it much easier to take that first step towards protecting your future life wishes on your personal health and well-being issues and property matters.”
“Both EPAs are written in plain english and come with an explanation of what setting one up means.”
“The changes won’t affect existing documents but any medical certificates about someone’s mental capacity must meet new requirements.”
“Everyone should set up an Enduring Power of Attorney so your wishes can be carried out if you are not well enough to express them.”
“Seniors can use their Gold Card to receive discounts at 300 legal firms around New Zealand so EPAs and wills cost less to draw up,” Ms Barry says
More information on EPAs is on the SuperSeniors website www.superseniors.msd.govt.nz. The new EPA forms will be available on the website from tomorrow.
Additional information:
Together with changes to the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988 that also take effect tomorrow, the changes will:
| A Beehive release | march 15, 2017 ||
Viña del Mar, Chile - High Level Representatives from Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Malaysia, Peru, and Singapore and Vietnam met here today to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on the margins of the High Level Dialogue on Integration Initiatives for the Asia Pacific.
The participating partners reiterated their firm commitment to collaborate in keeping markets open and to the free flow of goods, services and investment advancing regional economic integration and strengthening the rules-based international trading system noting our concern with protectionism in many parts of the world.
They recalled the balanced outcome and the strategic and economic significance of the TPP highlighting its principles and high standards as a key driver for regional economic integration and promoter of economic growth, competition, innovation and productivity, with the potential of generating jobs and lowering costs for consumers.
The high level representatives exchanged views on their respective domestic processes regarding TPP and canvassed views on a way forward that would advance economic integration in the Asia-Pacific.
Senior Trade Officials will meet and consult in preparation for the Ministers to meet again in the margins of the APEC meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade on 20-21 May 2017.
| A Beehive release | March 15, 2017 ||
The amount of water exported in bottles is so small that it is irrelevant to the important discussion on better managing New Zealand’s freshwater resources, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says.
“We use a million times more water for irrigation, town water supply and industry than that for bottled export. Bottled water exports are such a small fraction that it is a distraction to the important debate about how New Zealand better manages its freshwater resources.”
New Zealand’s annual freshwater resource is 500 trillion litres of which 2 per cent, or 10 trillion litres, is extracted. Statistics New Zealand reports that last year 8.7 million litres of bottled water was exported, down from 9.8 million litres in 2015. This means bottled export is 0.000002 per cent of the total water resource or 0.0001 per cent of the total water extracted.
“There is a real fairness problem with charging bottled water for export and not other water users. It would be odd from a health perspective to be charging a company bottling water, but not charging for the company that makes fizzy drink or beer. Nor would it make economic sense to charge the company bottling water for export, but not the company using the water to produce wine or milk. There may be a better return for New Zealand with less environmental problems in exporting the water rather than spraying it on land, adding fertiliser and producing milk noting that each litre of milk takes an average 400 litres of water to produce. The argument that the water bottling company may be foreign does not hold water when many larger water users in other industries like dairying and wine also have overseas investment.
“Freshwater management in New Zealand does need to improve. We have introduced a requirement for Councils to set minimum flow requirements in our waterways and compulsory metering. This has resulted in a significant number of red zones where further water extraction is prohibited.
“A technical advisory group is working on how New Zealand can better allocate freshwater and will be reporting back to Government by year’s end. The key to reform will be ensuring it is based on sound science and good data.”
| A Beehive release | March 14, 2017 ||
Entries open today for the 2017 Prime Minister’s Business Scholarships, which offer New Zealand’s managers and executives the opportunity to improve their skills at the world’s best business schools.
Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges says the scholarships are designed for managers and executives of companies involved in exporting, who are looking to expand their expertise through international study.
“We want New Zealand’s business leaders to have an opportunity to learn from some of the best overseas business schools and institutions,” Mr Bridges says.
“The aim of the scholarships is to make it easier to access these institutions, in turn increasing business leaders’ knowledge and improving the international competitiveness of New Zealand businesses.
“The scholarships also support New Zealand business people to develop networks and teach them to overcome the challenges our distance from overseas markets can pose.”
The Prime Minister’s Business Scholarships cover up to half of the course-related costs of attending an international learning institution.
“Previous recipients have enrolled at prestigious international institutions such as Harvard, Wharton and Columbia Business Schools, Stanford University, and the London School of Economics,” Mr Bridges says.
“This is a great opportunity for business leaders and senior managers involved in exporting to study overseas, improve their knowledge and then bring those valuable skills back to New Zealand.”
Applications for the scholarships close at noon on 28 April 2017.
More information can be found at www.mbie.govt.nz/about/our-work/scholarships/prime-ministers-business-scholarships
| A Beehive release | March 14, 2017 ||
Trade Minister Todd McClay travels from London to Chile today for the first combined meeting of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries following the United States’ withdrawal from the agreement.
“I welcome the opportunity to sit down with other TPP ministers, to take stock of current developments and to look at how we might move this important agreement forward together,” Mr McClay says.
Mr McClay says he believed the TPP Agreement continued to offer value as a common set of rules across the Asia-Pacific region.
"I have recently visited Australia, Japan, Singapore and Mexico, met with ministers from Brunei and Malaysia and talked directly with trade ministers from all other TPP countries. It is clear our partners remain committed to the benefits high quality trade agreements provide," Mr McClay says.
The meeting comes following strong public encouragement from New Zealand’s largest exporters for the Government to pursue a deal with the other 10 countries.
While in Viña del Mar at the High Level Dialogue on Integration Initiatives for the Asia-Pacific, Mr McClay will also meet with members of the Pacific Alliance and a number of other Asia-Pacific countries discuss regional trade issues.
“High quality regional trade deals are key drivers of economic development and job growth. The Government will continue to fight for a fairer deal for kiwi exporters and to push for better access for our goods and services around the world,” Mr McClay says.
| A Beehive release | March 12, 2017 ||
Trade Minister Todd McClay met International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox and Minister for Trade Policy Lord Price today to reaffirm their joint commitment to global trade liberalisation, and lay the foundations for the future trade relationship between the UK and New Zealand.
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox asserted the importance the UK places on its trading relationship with New Zealand, with total trade in goods and services between the two countries increasing by 13 per cent between 2014-15.
The ministers welcomed progress made during the inaugural Trade Policy Dialogue meeting earlier this month.
“Our dialogue will enable us to build on our existing trading framework, towards an agreement in the future,” Mr McClay says.
“Through the dialogue we will continue to push for greater global trade liberalisation and reform, share expertise, and identify ways to strengthen our trading relationship.”
Minister McClay also welcomed the UK’s ongoing commitment to be a champion of global free trade. Secretary Fox confirmed his intention to visit New Zealand in the coming months.
“During that visit we will hold a joint public event to highlight the importance and benefits of open markets to our citizens at a time when the global economy is facing a period of uncertainty”, Mr McClay says.
The Secretary of State confirmed that the UK would remain fully supportive of the New Zealand-EU FTA as long as it remained a member of the European Union, and that he was very pleased that the scoping phase had been finalised.
| A Beehive release | March 10, 2017 ||
The University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington have been successful in their bids to host new Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPEs), Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced today at an event at Victoria University.
The CAPEs will be cross-institutional centres of excellence specialising in the language, culture, politics and economics of countries or groups of countries within the Asia-Pacific region.
“They are an important and strategic investment in New Zealand’s future. So much of our trade, tourism and migration is focused on the Asia-Pacific region. It makes sense to deepen our understanding of it,” Mr Goldsmith says.
As well as teaching about and researching these countries, each CAPE will be mandated to help learners, exporters, and government agencies improve their understanding of the countries and their languages.
“The new CAPEs will provide initiatives and programmes of use to small and medium enterprises wanting to grow their understanding of the Asian and Latin American markets.”
“The centres will also help individuals better prepare to do business and connect with the Asia-Pacific region.”
CAPEs will further develop New Zealand’s Asia-Pacific rim knowledge and language skills, facilitating collaboration between tertiary education providers and stakeholders to enhance our partnerships with the Asia-Pacific region.
The CAPEs programme was allocated $34.5 million over 4 years in Budget 2016. It is part of the Government’s comprehensive Business Growth Agenda, and a major initiative in the internationalisation stream of the Tertiary Education Strategy.
Notes:
Three CAPEs will be set up in total, the first led by the University of Auckland in partnership with the University of Otago, the University of Waikato and the Victoria University of Wellington. This CAPE will specialise in North Asia.
Two more centres will be led by Victoria University of Wellington in partnership with the University of Otago, the University of Auckland and the University of Waikato. These two CAPEs will specialise in countries or groups of countries in South East Asia and Latin America.
The North Asia and South East Asia focused CAPEs will utilise the expertise of the Asia New Zealand Foundation as one of their key delivery partners.
| A Beehive release | March 09, 2017 ||
TeenAg, an agriculture sector youth programme run by New Zealand Young Farmers, will receive $146,000 of support under a new partnership announced today by Youth Minister Nikki Kaye.
“This is about supporting more young people to develop skills such as leadership and learn about potential career opportunities in the primary sector, which is such a vital part of our economy,” says Ms Kaye.
“TeenAg aims to promote a positive picture of agriculture and raise awareness of agricultural careers from an early age.
“The funding announced today will support around 500 more young people to participate in the programme.”
TeenAg consists of two core elements:
TeenAg Clubs, which provide a context to learn about agriculture and develop leadership and broader life skillsTeenAg Competitions, which extend and challenge competitors outside of their comfort zones to build character and leadership skills.
“It’s great to be able to support TeenAg to extend its reach, including into urban centres, and provide additional youth development opportunities for more young New Zealanders in such a pivotal sector as agriculture,” says Ms Kaye.
“This investment is being made under the Partnership Fund, which sees the Government co-invest with business, philanthropic, iwi and other partners to grow youth development opportunities.
“The Government is contributing $50,000 towards the programme, alongside $96,000 cash and in-kind support from partners including Red Meat Profit Partnership, DairyNZ, Lincoln University and Southfuels & Northfuels.
“More than $2 million of partnerships for a range of youth development opportunities have been announced so far in 2017, which shows the partnership model is delivering great results.”
| A Beehive release | March 08, 2017 ||
Trade Minister Todd McClay and European Union Trade Commissioner Cecelia Malmström have agreed the completion of joint scoping discussions towards an EU-NZ Free Trade Agreement (FTA) following a meeting in Brussels today.
After almost 2 years of discussion, reaching this significant milestone means the FTA process now enters a new phase, where the Commission and New Zealand will seek respective mandates to commence negotiations.
"Today’s meeting was an important demonstration of our commitment to launch negotiations as soon as possible in 2017," Mr McClay says.
“New Zealand and the EU both recognise there are substantial benefits to be gained from free trade, and we are now one step closer to a high-quality, comprehensive FTA that can deliver great outcomes for our citizens.”
Mr McClay and Commissioner Malmström also agreed that officials should look at ways to engage the public on trade issues. Mr McClay said the EU undertakes a number of trade events during negotiations which might suit New Zealand.
"With this in mind, I have invited Commissioner Malmström to visit New Zealand later this year. The Commissioner has accepted this invitation," Mr McClay says.
| A Beehive release | March 08, 2017 ||
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
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